Machines for applying pressure to shoe bottoms



Feb. 1 8, 1964 H. GULBRAN'DSEN MACHINES FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Filed Dec. 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A vYYI L' I.

R m 3 W v Feb. 18, 1964 H. GULBRANDSEN 3,121,241

MACHINES FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 28, 1962.

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MACHINES FOR APPLYING PRESSURE T0 SHOE BOTTOMS Filed Dec. 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 18, 1964 H. GULBRANDSEN 3,121,241

MACHINES FOR APPLYING PRESSURE T0 SHOE BOT'IOMS Filed Dec. 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,121,241 WACHINES FQR APPLYMG PRESSURE T0 SHOE BOTTGMS Helge Gulhrandsen, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, at corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 247,914 3 Claims. (Cl. 12-16.4)

This invention relates to machines for attaching outsoles to cement shoes and, more particularly, to improvements in a machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 3,052,901, granted September 11, 1962, in the names of the present inventor and Gordon C. Sprague, Jr.

The machine of the patent is provided with a set of pad elements in an automatically adjustable pad box comprising forepart and heel trays, a shank supporting member between the forepart and heel trays, and force distributing connections between the forepart and heel trays on the one hand, and the shank member on the other hand, acting to press the shank member of the pad box into the shank area of a shoe with a force equal to the sum of pressure components exerted by both the forepart and heel trays. The shank elements are vertically divided, so as to be slidable independently for relative adjusting movements of the pad box in a direction generally normal to a shoe bottom.

The advantage of such arrangement is that it enables the pressure on the shoe to be concentrated along the most critical shank area while providing adequate pressure on the forepart and heel portions of the shoe. The force distributing connections are effective for the purposes indicated so long as their adjusting movements are maintained approximately at midrange portions of their respective over-all movements. If a set of pad elements supported in the pad box are shaped to provide the proper relative adjusting movements for effective operation on a shoe of extreme curvature, such as encountered in a high heel womans shoe, then for operation upon a shoe having a low or medium height heel, the set of connections may not move within their midranges and, accordingly, the operation of the connections may not be fully effective in distributing and concentrating the pressures properly on the shoe shank. Furthermore, if the shank pad elements are formed along their upper edges with the proper angles to accommodate a high heel shoe they may not press evenly against the shank of a low heel shoe and may produce transverse markings across the shank of such shoes.

Because there are a number of individual and vertically slidable pad elements it is often difiicult to replace these elements with others having different dimensions for proper operation upon a particular height of shoe heel, there being a possibility of inadvertently misplacing pad elements from their proper order. When pad elements are misplaced from proper order in the pad box faulty shoe processing occurs, and such faulty processing is not always readily detected before several shoes have been damaged. Also, additional shank pad elements are expensive and must be kept conveniently available for frequent use. For these reasons it has been found best not to attempt replacing or rearranging the pad elements in the pad box, particularly for an operator who has had little experience in so doing.

3,121,241 Patented Feb. 18, 1954 V fying the operation of a pad box in a machine of the type referred to without rearranging the pad elements or replacing any of them.

To avoid replacement of the vertical shank pad elements in the pad box of the machine referred to, the box 7 may originally be equipped with a full set of vertical shoe shank supporting pad elements and other elements having proper dimensions for effective operation on a high heel womans shoe, the shank of which shoe has extreme curvatures necessitating relatively large preliminary movements between the pad elements. In order to process a shoe having a lower heel and flatter shank curvature, the machine of the present invention provides a single removable filler piece extending over the vertically movable shank pad elements. Preferably, this filler piece is in the form of a solid rubber tray fitting the shank V of a shoe having a relatively low heel and providing sufiicient thickness to ensure maintaining the positions of the balancing connections within their proper ranges of movement. In its illustrated form, the filler tray has extending along its edges a pair of ribs having greater thicknesses than the central portion of the tray. Such an arrangement prevents displacement of the tray beneath the shoe and facilitates replacement of a processed shoe with an unprocessed one uniformly at a proper location.

These and other features of the invention, as hereinafter described and claimed, will be apparent from the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a machine embodying the features of the present invention and showing the positions of the parts while processing a shoe having a relatively low or medium height heel;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the same machine illustrating an operation upon a relatively high heel shoe;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the shoe engaging portions of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, indicating the positions of the parts before any pressure is applied to a shoe;

FIG. 4 is -a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 1, showing the operation when the shoe has a heel of relatively low or medium height;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a removable filler piece employed in the pad box of the machine shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partly in section taken along the length of the filler piece in FIG. 5.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended to operate on a lasted cement shoe on the bottom of which is already mounted a Louis heel. Pressure is exerted on the shoe after being placed on a pad supporting box, compressing the shoe between the pad box and shoe engaging and holding devices which are brought together by suitable actuating means.

Referring to FIG. 2, a shoe supported on a last 10 is illustrated. The shoe consists of an insole 12 (see FIG. 4), an upper 14 and an outsole 16 spotted and temporarily positioned on the overlasted margin of the upper along the 15.! bottom of the shoe. The shoe bottom also has secured to its rearward portion, as shown in FIG. 2, a Louis heel, indicated at 38, of the t 'pe requiring an outsole having an integral breast flap to be attached to the heel breast at the same time that the outsole is attached to the forepart portion of the shoe bottom.

The pad box consists of a balanced forepart tray 29, a shank supporting member 22 and a heel supporting tray 24 arranged to be yieldingly held in preliminary positions of adjustment, so that when a shoe is pressed into engagement with a leather cover 26, pad elements beneath the cover in the pad box will be adjusted relatively to each other. The forepart and heel trays will, accordingly, be depressed bodily together until the required pressure is distributed along the shank of the shoe by upward swinging movement of the shank supporting member 22, which is located between the forepart and heel trays. Beneath the cover 26 is a composite set of pad elements, the forepart ones 28 of which comprise two generally horizontal layers, the heel supporting ones 30 and 31 of which consist of solid blocks of rubber and the shank engaging ones 32 of which consist of generally vertical independently movable solid rubber layers. The upper edges only of the shank pad elements 32 support the shank engaging portion of the cover 26.

To adjust the forces of the pad elements during operation of the machine the forepart and heel trays and the shank supporting member 22 are actuated by force distributing connections. Briefly, the force distributing connections comprise levers 34 and 36 engaging downwardly extending flanges on the fore part and heel trays. The levers 34 have a fulcrum shaft 38 mounted for rotation in side plates 49 forming a base upon which the pad box is supported. The levers 34 act to transfer a downward component of force on the forepart tray to the shank supporting member 22, tending to cause upward movement in the shank supporting member whenever downward force is applied to the forepart tray.

The lever "36 has a fulcrum shaft 42 and is connected to support the heel tray 24 in such manner that the heel tray is maintained in a horizontal position at all times. The forward part of the heel tray 24 also is connected to the shank supporting member 22 by a pin and slot connection 44. The shank supporting member itself being in the form of a lever is fulcrumed on a shaft 46 secured between the side plates 40. These connections are more fully described in the prior patent above referred to.

When a shoe is first located in operating position the pad box is spaced from the shoe engaging and holding abutment devices comprising toe and heel abutments 48 and '50, as shown in FIG. 3. As soon as the operation on the shoe is initiated a piston 52 (FIG. 2) to which the side plates 40 of the pad box base are secured is raised, bringing the shoe into engagement with the abutments 48 and 50. After the shoe engages the abutments a preliminary pressure is exerted on the shoe to move the force distributing connections from the position shown in FIG. 3 to positions approximately to the midrange portions of their respective over-all movements. Also, the heel supporting element 31 engages the heel and presses downwardly' against the heel block 3%), as more fully described in the prior patent.

To insure that the force distributing connections are moved uniformly into midrange positions from fixed preliminary positions, the lever 36 has a downwardly extending arm connected with a spring 54 stretched between an eye bolt 56 secured in a cross bar 57 connecting the side plates 40 of the base. The midrange portions of the distributing connection movements are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and when a relatively high Louis heel (FIG. 2) is being processed the shank of the shoe is filled completely with the pad elements 3-2, so that the most desirable force distribution occurs. If, however, a shoe having a lower heel, such as that illustrated at d 58 in FIG. 1 is being processed, then the toe of the shoe (FIG. 3) is lower than that of the higher heeled shoe (FIG. 2). The force distributing connections accordingly may be moved beyond their midrange portions because the balanced forepart tray 20 and the heel tray will both be depressed further than with a high heel shoe. After adjustments of the connections a heavy sole attaching pressure is applied and if the connections are removed by the shoe beyond their midranges, then a' less desirable distribution of pressures will be exerted on the shoe bottom.

In order to enable the force distributing connections to be retained at the midrange portions of their movements with a lower heeled shoe, according to the features of the present invention, the vertical shank pad elements 32 of the illustrated machine are formed with suificient height to be actuated satisfactorily with a relatively highheeled shoe and a removable filler piece 60 (FIG. 1) is provided in overlying relation to the shank pad elements 32 when a lower heeled shoe is being operated upon. Under these latter conditions the force distributing connections are maintained with a relatively lowheeled shoe close to the positions assumed during the operation on a relatively high-heeled shoe (FIG. 2) without the filler piece. In this way there is no necessity for replacement or rearrangement of the vertical shank pad elements 32 and the same distribution of forces along the shoe shank are insured with the lowheeled shoe as with the high-heeled one. The only necessity is to insert the removable filler piece 6! when operating upon low-heeled shoes and to remove it when op erating upon high neeled shoes. Accordingly, no need arises for removing or replacing the vertical pad elements 32.

The operation of the filler piece 60 upon a low-heeled shoe is clearly illustrated in FIG. 4 and additional benefits are obtained, such as an improvement in the char acter of shape along the shoe shank by molding and com-pressing action of the pad elements.

The removable filler piece 69 is in the form of a solid rubber tray, shown in FIG. 5, fitting the shank of a low-heeled shoe and having sufiicient thickness to maintain the positions of the force distributing connections between the forepart and heel trays approximately at the midrange portions of their respective movements. To assist in locating the shoe in proper operating position and to reinforce the filler piece, its edges are formed with parallel ribs 62 having at least as great or greater thickness than the central area of the tray. These ribs provide grooves 64 along which the edges of the outsole 16 are confined, as shown in FIG. 4, and prevented from displacement during the application of heavy pressure in the processing cycle.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for applying pressure to a shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box base in the frame, a pad box in the base, a set of generally vertical, independently movable shank supporting pad elements and other pad elements in the box, shoe engaging and holding abutment devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad elements, actuating means for bringing together the pad elements and the shoe engaging and holding devices to apply vertical pressure to a lasted shoe on the pad elements, the pad box comprising forepart and heel trays and a shank supporting member carrying said set of shank pad elements between the forepart and heel trays and force distributing connections between the forepart and heel trays acting to press the shank supporting elements of the pad perpendicularly of the shoe bottom toward the shoe with a force equal to the sum of force components on the forepart and heel trays, in combination with a removable filler piece overlying the pad elements on the shank supporting member to enable a relatively low heel shoe to be processed by the machine with the shank pad elements of a height intended for processing a higher heel shoe but without the necessity for any replacement of the shank pad elements.

2. A machine for applying pressure to a shoe bottom, as in claim 1, in which the filler piece is in the form of a solid rubber tray fitting the shank of the low heel shoe and having sufficient thickness to maintain the positions of the force distributing connections between the forepart and heel trays approximately at the midrange portions of their respective movements when the reiatively low heel shoe is being operated upon.

3. A machine for applying pressure to a shoe bottom, as in claim 2, in which the removable filler tray has extending along its edges of the shoe shank a pair of ribs formed with a thickness as great or greater than the central area of the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,745,123 Suerken May 15, 1956 2,975,442 Dawson Mar. 21, 1961 3,052,901 Gulbrandsen et a1 Sept. 11, 1962 

1. A MACHINE FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO A SHOE BOTTOM, SAID MACHINE HAVING A FRAME, A PAD BOX BASE IN THE FRAME, A PAD BOX IN THE BASE, A SET OF GENERALLY VERTICAL, INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE SHANK SUPPORTING PAD ELEMENTS AND OTHER PAD ELEMENTS IN THE BOX, SHOE ENGAGING AND HOLDING ABUTMENT DEVICES MOUNTED IN THE FRAME OPPOSITE THE PAD ELEMENTS, ACTUATING MEANS FOR BRINGING TOGETHER THE PAD ELEMENTS AND THE SHOE ENGAGING AND HOLDING DEVICES TO APPLY VERTICAL PRESSURE TO A LASTED SHOE ON THE PAD ELEMENTS, THE PAD BOX COMPRISING FOREPART AND HEEL TRAYS AND A SHANK SUPPORTING MEMBER CARRYING SAID SET OF SHANK PAD ELEMENTS BETWEEN THE FOREPART AND HEEL TRAYS AND FORCE DISTRIBUTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE FOREPART AND HEEL TRAYS ACTING TO PRESS THE SHANK SUPPORTING ELEMENTS OF THE PAD PERPENDICULARLY OF THE SHOE BOTTOM TOWARD THE SHOE WITH A FORCE EQUAL TO THE SUM OF FORCE COMPONENTS ON THE FOREPART AND HEEL TRAYS, IN COMBINATION WITH A REMOVABLE FILLER PIECE OVERLYING THE PAD ELEMENTS ON THE SHANK SUPPORTING MEMBER TO ENABLE A RELATIVELY LOW HEEL SHOE TO BE PROCESSED BY THE MACHINE WITH THE SHANK PAD ELEMENTS OF A HEIGHT INTENDED FOR PROCESSING A HIGHER HEEL SHOE BUT WITHOUT THE NECESSITY FOR ANY REPLACEMENT OF THE SHANK PAD ELEMENTS. 